Eye, the international review of graphic
design, is a quarterly printed magazine about
graphic design and visual culture

Tuesday, 11:39am
10 July 2018

Alex Booker in Dulwich

On Friday 13 July 2018 artist / printmaker Alex Booker will talk about his work at Eye’s Bawden event at Dulwich Picture Gallery

This Friday you can see printmaker and artist Alex Booker talking at the Eye Event ‘Edward Bawden: Art and Design’ at Dulwich Picture Gallery.

This is part of one of the gallery’s popular late events, which incorporates food, drink music, workshops and the chance to see the ‘Edward Bawden’ exhibition after hours. The Dulwich Picture Gallery’s quirky buildings and lush gardens make a wonderful setting for a summer’s evening of entertainment and enlightenment.

Alex Booker, Always the Sea, a line from the song ‘Carrion’ by British Sea Power … and a reference to the Booker family’s maritime history.

After Booker’s presentation, there will be a panel discussion about the relevance of Bawden’s life and work to contemporary artist/designers. Alex will be joined by fellow artist/printmaker Chloë Cheese, curator James Russell and Fortnum & Mason archivist Andrea Tanner.

Edward Bawden, Hors d’Oeuvres and Savouries. Client: Fortnum & Mason.

Fortnum & Mason was one Edward Bawden’s most important clients in the 1950s – Dr Tanner points out that Bawden made the most of the shop’s regular commissions (menus, Christmas catalogues, price lists and other printed matter) to innovate constantly, never content to repeat himself. Some of his amusing, slightly surreal drawings are still in use today.

Chloë Cheese.

Chloë Cheese, still life.

Chloë Cheese, who grew up in Bawden’s home town of Great Bardfield, knew Bawden and his family well. She recently exhibited her work alongside that of Edward’s son Richard Bawden at Watts Gallery in Surrey, and last week took part in a discussion at Dulwich with former Bawden studio assistant Peter Avery.

Eric Ravilious, Edward Bawden Working in his Studio, 1930.

James Russell has written widely about mid-century design and illustration, and curated Dulwich Picture Gallery’s highly successful ‘Eric Ravilious’ exhibition in 2015 (see ‘Observer’s post’ on the Eye blog) as well as the current ‘Edward Bawden’ show.

Alex Booker, Mountain Meadow, 2018.

The Eye event on Fri 13 July 2018, chaired by editor John L. Walters, will take place in the Linbury Room from 7pm, and should end between 8.30 and 9pm, with plenty of time for questions from the audience. Tickets for the event, entitled ‘By The Seaside’, grant after-hours access to the entire gallery – including the Bawden exhibition – and its beautiful grounds as well as the Eye session. Go to eyem.ag/EdwardBawden

Dulwich Picture Gallery garden, in the heart of Dulwich Village between Brixton and Peckham. Full address: Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD.

Eye is the world’s most beautiful and collectable graphic design journal, published quarterly for professional designers, students and anyone interested in critical, informed writing about graphic design and visual culture. It is available from all good design bookshops and online at the Eye shop, where you can buy subscriptions and single issues.